Team USA finally dispatched Mexico in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) on Monday night, defeating their neighbors 5-3 in a WBC pool matchup. During the matchup, Team USA catcher Cal Raleigh refused to shake hands with Mexico outfielder Randy Arozarena, his teammate with the Seattle Mariners. Raleigh and Mariners manager Dan Wilson spoke about the encounter, with Raleigh noting there was nothing behind it. Meanwhile, Arozarena had an NSFW take on the encounter. His rant was translated by X, formerly Twitter, user Master Flip, and posted shortly afterwards.
Randy Arozarena just went off on Cal Raleigh;
(Translated and written by Master Flip)
How do you think I should respond to Cal Raleigh? How should I put it to him?
I want to say it in four languages.First in Spanish: The only thing he should be thankful for is having such… pic.twitter.com/3uuyjkZrmn
— Master Flip 🇩🇴 (@Masterflip_) March 10, 2026
“How do you think I should respond to Cal Raleigh?” Arozarena asked, as his words were later translated by Flip. “How should I put it to him? I want to say it in four languages.”
Arozarena cursed multiple times in his rant to reporters, causing questions to arise about the encounter. While Wilson and Raleigh dismissed the snub, it's clear that Arozarena is upset about it. However, the remarks could actually be sarcastic. If that's true, then Wilson and Raleigh would be correct. It's certainly a confounding situation, one that fans might question moving forward.
Lines between Mariners teammates blurred due to WBC rivalry
The Mariners are coming off one of the best seasons in franchise history. Their march to the AL Championship Series (ALCS) was the team's first since 2001. Raleigh almost won the AL MVP award, hitting 60 home runs in the process. Arozarena's star has continued to grow since he was traded to the Pacific Northwest, becoming one of baseball's most outspoken stars.
In the wake of a tough loss Monday night, it's clear to see why Arozarena would be upset at Raleigh's actions. Despite the rivalry between the USA and Mexico, the stars still need to share a locker room moving forward. Whether or not Arozarena was being sarcastic, it's clear that Raleigh's decision not to shake Arozarena's hands has caused at least some waves. Can the stars move past this incident? Or will it overshadow their efforts to top the highs of 2025?
